Half to marshall d



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

A.A.JPERGUS0N. MACHNE FOR BBNDING BICYCLE RIMS.

No. 596,744. Patented Jan.. 4, 1898.

(5w-s l bg 2 C s l s i Q i mn im e "Raums (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. A. FERGUSON.

MACHINE EUR BENDING BICYCLE RIMS.

No. 596,744. Patented Jan. 4, 1898.

nlllllll! WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATnNT erica@ ANSON A.FERGUSON, OF NEV LONDON, 1iWISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO MARSHALLD. KIETH, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR BENDING BICYCLE-NMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,744., dated January4, 189AS dmilieatiim filed September l0, 1896. Renewed August 9, 1897.Serial Nul 647,646. (No model.)

To bil whom, it new z/ cm2/cern.:

.Be it-known that I, Anson A. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New London, in the county of Waupaca and State ofIvVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachinery for Bending Bicycle-Rims; and I declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of woodbending machines used to bendbicycle-rims- The wood is first steamed and then placed in the machineand bent around a wheel between the periphery of the wheel and a steelflexible band, as will be hereinafter more speciiically described It isa well-known fact that in .bending strips of wood in this manner theoutside grains and layers of the Wood are stretched and the insidegrains depressed when making a curvature and that the strip will alwaysbe a little longer after it is curved than when it first enters themachine.

The object of my invention is to provide a means of holding andrelieving the strip and regulating the pressure, so as to preventstretching the outside libere of the wood and buckling of the insidefibers. In the machines heretofore used, where the outside fibers werepermitted to stretch they became weakened and were liable to splinterand crack and the inside fibers were liable to bunch and buckle up. Bymeans of my invention I am able to regulate the stretching of theoutside fibers of the wood and the compressing; of the inner fibers toany degree desired, so that the ratio shall be proper for strength anddurability.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of my said machine. Fig.

fl is an enlarged detail view of the relieving and regulating device,and Fig. 5 is a view of the completed rim with ends clamped together.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in each View.

A in Jthe drawings represents the frame of the machine; B, the mainbalance-'wheelgQ the bending-wheel; D, the flexible metallic strap, andE the strap-weight.

The frame Asupports a transverse shaft a, upon which is mounted abelt-wheel d and a friction wheel u?. The shaft is movably mounted inthe frame. The friction-wheel CL2 revolves continuously and is broughtin contact with the wheel B to start the machine by means of a suitablelever. This wheel B is mounted upon a transverse shaft b, which carriesJthe bending-wheel C at its opposite end. This latter wheel is providedwith a depression c in its periphery, said depression being normallyfilled by a removable block c', so that the wheel prevents an unbrokenperipheral surface. The wheel C is provided with a lug c2, to which ispivoted one end of the metallic liexible band D. A rib or guide c3 isformed upon the periphery of the wheel for guiding the rim which isbeing bent. It is set slightly at an angle, as shown, so as to make theends of the rim properly lap each other. G is a table upon which theband D rests, the opposite end of the said band being attached to a cordH, which passes around the pulleys I and .I and down to the weight E.The relieving device K is riveted or other- Wise rigidly attached to thetop of the band D at the rear end.

The relieving or regulating device K is composed of a head 7e, integralwith asliding rod 1', which slides in guides m m'. The rod 7.5' isprovided with a shoulder n and a spring S, the latter being locatedbetween the shoulder n and the guide m. The nut s, screwing upon the endcf the rod 7e, regulates the tension of the spring S.

In operating the machine one end of the strip of wood is placed againstthe head k, the strip resting upon the steel band D, and the oppositeend being clamped between the band and the periphery of the wheel O ator near the lug c2. Before starting the machine the removable block isiitted into the depression c.

In the operation of the machine two operatives are necessary, one tostand at the front roo end, near the wheel C, to apply the power by thefoot-treadle and to clamp and remove the strip after it is bent. Theother operative stands at the side of the machine near the relievingdevice K, receives the strip from the steaming device, and places itagainst the head 7c, extending it diagonally across the strip D, asshown, and against the guide (J3, so that in bending the strip aroundthe wheel C the ends will lap each other laterally, as shown in thefinished rim. The block c is then removed and a clamp applied to the twoends of the rim.

M is an idler-pulley mounted upon a pivoted arm M and adapted to bepressed upward against the strap D by a foot-lever M2. lThe object ofthis treadle is to press the band D against the strip of wood after thewheel C has stopped in its revolution and while the clamp is beingadjusted to hold the' ends together.

In the operation of the machine the workman at the rear places a stripof wood upon the steel band D and against the head 7c, permitting it toextend forward diagonally across the strip D and between the oppositeend of the band D and the periphery of the wheel C at or near the lugc2. The operator in front then by a lever or other means puts on thefriction and starts the machine. The wheel C is revolved in thedirection indicated by the arrow and the end of the strip of woodbecomes clamped between the periphery of the wheel C and the upper faceof the steel band D. 'Ihe revolution of the Wheel C carries the bandattached thereto with it around and against the lower face of the woodstrip, compressing it and curving it, at the same time arresting theWeight E, which operates as a tension to the band, and also returns theband to its original position after each operation of the machine. lVhenthe band has moved forward sufficiently, the projections an: upon therelieving device K strike against the pins t and, moving them forward inthe slots t t', operate to throw off the friction- Wheel a2 and operatethe brake B to stop the machine. As soon as the friction is removed theweight E operates to pull the band D back to its original position andthe brake, operated by a spring, controls the tension, so that it willbe slowly returned.

In the bending of the strip the front end is rigidly clamped between theband D and the periphery of the wheel C, and as the strip is being bentthe fibers are stretched and some relief must be had in order to preventsplintering or bunching. This relief is provided by means of the springS, the head 7c, carrying the shoulder n, being gradually compressedagainst the spring S as the strip is wound around the wheel. In thismanner the outer fibers or grains of the strip are compressed and theinner fibers released to the proper degree, and the proper degree may beeasily secured by regulating the tension of the spring S by means of thenut s. After the strip of wood has been bent around the wheelsufficiently the false block before mentioned may be driven sidewise outof the depression c and the clamp R be screwed through the depression toclamp the two ends of the rim r r together. A separate clamp isnecessary for each rim, and in this condition (shown in Fig. 5) the rimsare ready for market and are sold, to be afterward finished and polishedfor use.

i If the strip vis permitted to stretch without any relieving orregulating device before it is bent in a circular form, the inner fiberswill bunch or buckle up and the outer fibers crack or split, so as todestroy the strength of the wood.

l-Iaving described my invention, what I claim, and desire to securebyLetters Patent, 1s-

l. In a machine for bending wood rims, the combination of abending-wheel, araised peripheral guide on said wheel, and adapted toguide the rim upon one side for causing the ends to lap each other butin such a manner as to permit of said rim being slipped laterally fromsaid wheel after being bent, a flexible band secured to said wheel forinclosing the rim and means for rotatingand controlling the saidbending-wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for bending wood rims, the combination ofa'bending-wheel, a raised peripheral guide on said wheel integraltherewith and adapted to guide the rim on one side for lapping the endsand yet in such a manner as not to interfere with the lateral removal ofthe rim from the periphery of the wheel when bent, a lug upon saidwheel, a flexible band secured to said lug for inclosing the rim to bebent, a relieving device comprising a spring-pressed plunger, a tensiondevice for holding said band taut and returning the same to its unwoundposition, and means for operating the said bending-wheel, substantiallyas described.

3. In a machine for bending wood rims, the combination of abending-wheel having a portion of its rim depressed to form a recess inits periphery adapted to receive and be lled by an independent removableblock during the bending operation, the said block being adapted to beremoved or knocked out before removing the bent rim for the purpose ofinserting a clamp to properly clamp the ends of the rim together, a lugupon the periphery of the wheel, a flexible band secured to said lug forinclosing the rim to be bent and meansfor operating the bending-wheel,substantially as described.

4. In. a machine for bending Wood rims, the combination of abending-wheel having a portion of its rim depressed to form a recess inits periphery vadapted to receive and be filled by an independentremovable block, said block being adapted to be removed or knocked outbefore removing the bent rim for inserting a clamp to hold the ends ofthe ZOO IIO

rim together, a lug upon the bending-wheel,

a iiexible band for inc-losing the rim to loe` bent, means for holdingthe rim in its bent eondition until the clamp has been inserted andmeans for operating the bending-Wheel, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for bending Wood rims, the combination of abending-Wheel, an integral guiding-rib upon the periphery of said Wheelfor guiding the rim upon one side only, wherebyit :may be slippedlaterally from the said periphery after being bent, a flexible bandsecured to the Wheel, at one end and provided with a relieving device atthe other end comprising a plunger, a tension-ppring and means foradjusting the same, and a Weight connected to said band for holding itin place, and returning it to its normal position, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a machine for bending Wood rims,

the combination of a bending-wheel, ailyy ANSON A. FERGUSON.

'Vitnesses:

F. J. MCKENNEY, l MAUD CAMPBELL.

